August 4, 1994 - Part 13
August 4, 1994 - Part 13
(01:20:20) I will say that at some point here I realized that we hadn't prepared Mr. Altman for this particular-these particular questions, and that there was no question and answer on it. And I also recall at some point having a flash of remembering that I had spoken with Mr. Nussbaum in the fall. I didn't recall the specifics of the conversation or the events surrounding it. I also recall not having a disquieted feeling about Mr. Altman's response to the questions, or any feeling that-a feeling that anything was being withheld. And after the hearings were over I, as I have testified, knew that there were issues/questions that needed to be followed up on. I don't recall that this was one of them. Although I will say that the following week when Mr. Podesta called Mr. Altman, and Mr. Altman told me that a question recall. I don't recall specifically what I was thinking at that had been raised about his answers to Senator Bond's questions, and we didn't have a transcript so we located Senator Bond's questions on a videotape and transcribed them, and they were only the two: She now refers to that transcript and she quotes it. "Senator BOND. How was the White House notified of the referral? "Mr. ALTMAN. They were not notified by the RTC, to the best of my knowledge. "Senator BOND. Nobody in your agency, to your knowledge, advised the White House staff that this was going to be a major-this could be a major source of concern? "Mr. ALTMAN. Not to my knowledge." Ms. Hanson continues: When I looked at those two questions, which were the only questions that I had transcribed, out of context, although the answers to the questions were literally correct, I had a concern that in fact the answers were not in the spirit of the questions. And it was that day, later on that day, that I started my preparation of my questions and answers, trying to refresh my recollection about the events that had occurred in the fall because I knew that the record would have to be supplemented to include that information. Question: I began by asking you what you said to Mr. Altman and what he said to you when you shake your head 'no,' So if I understand correctly what you have said, it is that when he turned to YOU, you, by shaking your head, and by his question being in essence 'is my testimony correct,'you were affirming that you believed his testimony was correct? Answer: That's my recollection. Question: OK. Mr. Pitt, her attorney, speaks next. Mr. PITT. In the context that she has now described. I mean, that was one of the reasons why we wanted the record to be complete about the whole series of questions. Ms. HANSON. And that I confirmed that information with Ellen Kulka, as well. I understood, as I stated, the questions to be asked and answered in the context of the RTC. Mr. Codinha resuming: Question: OK That brings to mind a question that Senator Sarbanes raised with another witness. That is--or actually it may have been with you-that when you went to the White House on September 29th, did you believe you were representing the RTC or the Justice Department Ms. STRAUSS. The "Justice Department"? Mr. CODINHA. I'm sorry, the Treasury. I have been looking for scope objections all day. [Laughter.] Question: The Treasury. Answer: I believe that I was acting in my capacity as General Counsel of the Treasury. Question: So when you heard-if I understand correctly what you are saying about what is reflected on page 69-when you heard the question and understood it for RTC, you were separating your role as a Treasury Department employee, and that is why you didn't indicate to Mr, Altman at that point that you had had the meeting? Answer: That's correct. Question: Now another thing that we are concerned about in this testimony is that Mr. Altman says that "a week passed before Mr. Podesta's call which alerted me to the fall meetings, Ms. Hanson, Mr. Chairman, then pre-cleared my letter to Senator Riegle which stated I had no prior knowledge of these meetings. She signed off on it. At not one of those times did she suggest-not one of those times did she suggest--that my recollection was faulty," Is Mr. Altman correct in that? Answer: To the best of my recollection, yes. As I have stated, I didn't recall at the time that the March 2nd letter war, written, or prior to the March-between the time of the hearing and the time that the March 2nd letter was sent, I didn't recall that I had spoken with Mr. Altman about the meetings in the fall. So the letter that was sent on March 2nd was correct to the best of my recollection at the time it was sent. 517 Question: Ms. Hanson, I'm going to ask you this because I know the Senators are going to be very concerned about this distinction that you're making-I'm now going back to what happened at the hearing-the distinction that is being made for how the notification happened, and when Mr. Altman said-let me read exactly what he says. He says, or Senator Bond says